


Second Chances

by elenei



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/M, my headcanon dream come true
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 12:24:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7573957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenei/pseuds/elenei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arya and Gendry finally reach Riverrun and start to make things right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> One shot that takes place circa TWOW when Arya returns to the Riverlands.

In some ways Riverrun scared Gendry more than Harrenhal ever had. He didn’t know what the castle had been like before the war but it seemed just as haunted to him now. The people who belonged here were dead or gone.

He didn’t know where he fit in here either. In Harrenhal his place had been the forge but Gendry found himself wandering the castle that had been Arya’s mother’s childhood home without purpose. He had nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait.

The waiting was the worst part.

Arya had insisted on preparing the body herself, just like she had giving her mother the gift of mercy. That had been a shock. Mother and daughter had both demanded to see each other and the brothers had no right to deny them. But nobody had ever thought Arya would take the lady’s life, if you could call it that.

“My mother is at rest,” Arya had said. Her tone allowed for no comments and they had all accepted it with bowed heads.

The faces of the men around him showed shame, guilt, fear, and admiration. None of them would’ve had the courage to do that, Gendry heard many saying. He wasn’t sure he understood what was happening but they respected her more for it. He felt the same and he had even more cause than most to be ashamed. All Arya had ever offered him was friendship but he never gave her anything but grief in return.

He helped them collect kindling for the funeral boat.

When the time came there were no tears in her eyes. She touched the face that had been her mother’s face one more time before helping push the slender boat off the bank. She watched the current take it while knee deep in freezing water. Gendry stood behind her, chilled to the bone.

When it was far down the river, Arya turned her head to look at Anguy. She gave no direction, save for that, but he understood and responded with a respectful nod. He loosed a flaming arrow. It easily found its mark like all of Anguy’s did.

Gendry didn’t watch as the fire consumed the boat downriver. He stared at Arya. Her breath was visible in the winter air and her short brown hair was blowing around her face. She looked cold and lovely. Gendry couldn’t believe how much she had changed. She wasn’t a little girl anymore.

The boat was nothing more than a light in the distance but none made to move for shelter. They would wait for her.

She can’t stand here like this forever, Gendry thought but he worried she would try. The past fortnight had proved she was as stubborn as ever. He bent down so his mouth was near her ear. “Arya,” he said softly so none of the others could hear him speak so informally. Or so he hoped. “Let me escort you back inside the castle.”

Belatedly, he worried she would take it for a command but stepped out of the water. She didn’t let him escort her truly. She led the way. It was a long walk. It seemed everyone wanted to pay their respects to her. They swore fealty and promised vengeance for her family. They kneeled and bowed and kissed her hand. Arya composed herself in a way he had never seen before. She was calm and dignified and every bit a highborn lady.

He was grateful when they finally made it back to the castle.

He followed her all the way to her sleeping quarters. I shouldn’t be here, Gendry thought as he stepped into the room that had been her grandfather’s. Arya moved across the chamber to stare out the darkened window that overlooked the river.

Gendry lingered in the doorway and found himself wondering just exactly who was she now? When they had first met she had been Arry, an orphan boy. Then she had become Lady Arya Stark of Winterfell, daughter of a dead lord and sister to a king. Gendry thought of all those men pledging their loyalty to Arya. He could feel things changing again. Gendry shifted awkwardly on his feet. Arya wasn’t even looking at him but he couldn’t just leave her like this.

“I’m sorry…about your mother,” Gendry said into the silence. It was over and yet he still felt guilty. He had been there…when they found the body and brought her back. He had watched and did nothing.

“She died a long time ago,” she told him quietly. She turned around and looked at him. Arya had grown in the time she’d been gone but she still looked so small to Gendry. And her eyes were sad. He knew she could take care of herself, that she always had but something came over him then.

Gendry strode across the chamber until he was standing before her and dropped to his knee. Arya stared down at him, her head was tilted slightly but her face had become a mask.

I’ll always have to look up at her, Gendry thought bitterly, but if it means I can see her…

“M’lady…Arya, I offer you my sword.” Gendry touched the hilt of the blade he had made himself. He continued trying to sound confident, though; he wasn’t sure how knights went about pledging their service to ladies. He tried to think back to the words that Beric Dondarrion had said as he placed his sword against Gendry’s shoulder. “I vow to serve you and…obey you in all things.” Gendry took a deep breath. “I’ll die for you if I must,” he finished honestly.

Arya was biting her lip when he looked up. Gendry didn’t know what to make of that. He had expected her to accept his vow and send him back to the barracks with the rest of the outlaws. Or to slap him in the face for presuming that she’d even want the bastard who abandoned her. Gendry’s began to feel sick with regret for ever thinking she could want someone like him when Arya’s mask fell away suddenly. She wore a look of determination under it. As if she had suddenly made of her mind. Before Gendry could say another word she strode past him to shut the chamber door. When she turned back to face him, on his knee still, she looked annoyed.

“Get up, stupid.” Arya placed her hands on her hips. Gendry rose, slowly. “I don’t need you to die for me,” She said with a roll of her eyes. “You’re no use dead.”

Gendry scowled at her. He had just offered to serve her and she had thrown it back in his face. It was just like Arya. Gendry almost wanted to smile. He was relieved she hadn’t changed completely.

“Then what do you want?” He demanded.

She took a step forward so they were standing as close as they could be without being pressed up against each other. Gendry swallowed hard.

“There’s another war coming,” she said in response. It wasn’t an answer to his question but Gendry shivered at her words. “I need someone I can trust, now more than ever. And I trust you.”

When she spoke those words Gendry felt warm despite the cold seeping through his clothes. He wanted to embrace her and never let go but he forced himself to stand as still as a statue while Arya finished.

“There’s only one vow I want from you,” she insisted.

Gendry waited, unable to breathe.

“Swear you’ll never leave me again.”

Gendry exhaled and felt calmer than he had in days. This was something he could give her. He had felt sick about leaving ever since she disappeared. He had never regretted anything so much. But never had he, in his best dreams or worst nightmares, thought he would be given the chance to make amends.

He would gladly swear to stay by her side. Gendry considered going to his knee again but thought better of it. Arya hadn’t wanted that and neither had he. Instead Gendry mustered all his courage and reached out to grab her hand. It was small and cool in his. Gendry ran his thumb over her knuckles.

“Never,” he swore. “Never.”

Arya stared into his eyes for a long moment before squeezing his hand in return. She pulled away first and Gendry tried to ignore how it tugged at his heart. She walked towards the large bed in the center of the room and pulled her tunic over her head before Gendry could blink.

“I’ll take my leave now,” He stuttered as she was shuffling out of her wet boots and trousers.

“You will not,” Arya responded and her voice was almost a laugh. She jumped onto the featherbed in her smallclothes. “You swore to never leave me, remember?”

Gendry started to sputter about improper it was.

“I’m not asking you to take my maidenhead,” She said casually as she leaned back against the furs. Gendry’s face was on fire. Arya paused for what felt like ages. “I don’t want to be alone tonight,” she admitted.

Gendry sighed in defeat. Arya was watching him with those sad grey eyes again and he knew he would not be able to deny her anything. He had sworn a vow after all.


End file.
